


Yeah, Yeah (Bonfire)

by jypzrose



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fandom 4LLS submission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2014-12-04
Packaged: 2018-02-28 04:06:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2718206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jypzrose/pseuds/jypzrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rye Mellark is back in town.  Primrose Everdeen is ready.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yeah, Yeah (Bonfire)

**Author's Note:**

> dislaimer-I don't own the Hunger Games.

 

_Rye Mellark..._

 

            Primrose Everdeen was standing outside of _Johnson’s Pharmacy_ , rifling through her purse for her keys when she heard the distinctive throb of a _Harley Davidson Streetglide._  Not that she knew much about motorcycles in general.  But she knew that was _his_ motorcycle.

 

            She tucked herself back under the awning, out of the bright, summer sunshine overhead and watched as he rode past.  His jean-clad legs were stretched out in front of him, the denim hugging his thighs in a way that should have been illegal.  His gray t-shirt strained across his chest and arms; defining the chest she used to dream about when she was younger.  Hell, she still did.  His gloved hands flexed on the handgrips and an unexpected wave of heat spread through Prim at an alarming rate.  She suddenly felt flushed and it had nothing to do with the humid day.

            Rye had left Twelve Oaks the day he turned eighteen.  No one could blame him.  The Mellark’s family dynamic was the worst kept secret in town.  Madeline Mellark was a nasty, hard woman that had wanted so much more for her life than to be tied to a small town, a small town bakery and a small town man.  But the second she came up pregnant with her oldest son, Graham, all that changed.  Quick as you please, her father had her carted off to the justice of the peace with Bram Mellark in a starched white shirt to make an honest woman of her.

            It had taken three years for Rye to come along.  Everyone figured that was it.  But apparently, not long after Rye was here, Madeline partook of a bit too much spiced hard cider at the Christmas festival, and bam, nine months later the youngest Mellark, Peeta was born.  After that, her temper became legend and the only thing that kept the bakery in business was the proximity and the town’s loyalty to Bram and the boys. Although the days Madeline worked were usually the slowest.

            When Rye left, he went three towns over to Seven Springs, got a job on a farm and only came home on holidays.  Prim had been twelve at the time and had felt her burgeoning heart break when she watched him ride out of town on a much older motorcycle than the current one between his thighs.  Her crush hadn’t exactly been secret, her sister Katniss had scowled about it all the time, telling her she was too young for such things.

            Of course, Katniss had been much older before she even let herself think about love.  Her first attempt had been disastrous.  Her second, with Peeta Mellark, was going much better.

            Prim, for the most part, could forget about her little infatuation.  Until, like now, he came riding into town looking better than a man had a right too. She could see the glint of his blond hair under his helmet, knew the eyes under his sunglasses were as blue as the ocean with stabs of brown around the pupils.  She could see the farmers tan he sported proudly and could imagine the ridges of his abdomen hidden under the soft material of his shirt.

            Yeah, times like these, she was a goner.  Only before she was too young to do anything about it.

            Not anymore.

            “Prim, what are you staring at?”  Prim jumped a mile high at her aunt’s question. She’d been so wrapped up in watching Rye, she hadn’t heard the door open behind her. She turned to look at the older woman and couldn’t help but smile at the knowing smirk on Juniper Johnson’s face.  Primrose merely looked back where Rye was parking his bike in front of the bakery diagonally across the way from the pharmacy her aunt owned.  “Didn’t figure it would be long b’fore he showed back up.  What with Madeline off to Florida and all.”

            Twelve Oaks had been in an uproar when the news got out that Bram Mellark had finally tossed his wife out.  Speculation ran rampant, but only the Mellarks-and the Everdeen/Johnson/Abernathy’s-new the truth.

            “He always said that was the only way he’d come home.”  Prim reminded her.  Rye loved the bakery.  Peeta loved the bakery.  It had been understood for years that once Bram decided to retire, the bakery would be divided amongst the two boys.  Graham had no interest in it, something that Madeline had nourished.  So he’d gone off to become a doctor or something in New York City.  He didn’t get home much.  Most people thought that was a good thing.

            It was also pretty telling that Madeline didn’t go to New York to live with him, but to Florida to live with her sister.

            “So, you going to go over and say hey?”  Juni asked, her tongue tucked firmly in her cheek, her green eyes sparkling.  Prim laughed and shook her head at the woman that raised her and Katniss, along with their uncle Haymitch when their parents were killed in a car accident. 

            “I’ll let him get settled.  Then I might just do that.”  Prim glanced at her watch, her eyes bugging when she realized the time.  “Besides, I have to get back to work.”

            “Tell Dr. Aurelius I said hello.”  Juni told her with a wave.

            “Will do. I’ll see you at dinner.”  Prim rushed the opposite way of the bakery with a quick wave to her aunt, thoughts of Rye still whirling in her head.

 

~*~*~*~

            “There he is.”  Bram walked around the counter when Rye walked in, helmet tucked under his arm, gloves in one hand.  Rye smiled that famous Mellark smile and stepped happily into his father’s arms.

“Hey dad.”  Rye closed his eyes as he took in the strength and love that always seeped into him when he was in his father’s presence.  It made him almost forgive the man for the years he’d stayed with their mother.

            “Good to see you son.  I’m so glad you’re back.”  Bram stepped back, his faded blue eyes sparkling with tears but his smile wide. “Peeta!”

            “Yeah, dad.”  Peeta called.

            “Come out here.”  Rye put his things on the counter and waited for his baby brother to step through the kitchen doors.  As soon as he did, the grin that split Peeta’s face was enough to light up deep space.

            “You’re here!”  Peeta practically launched himself at his brother, their hug decidedly not manly at all, but neither cared.  In truth, it really wasn’t that long since they’d last seen each other.  Rye had only been about an hour away and he and Peeta were too close to not try to see each other regularly.  But that was different.  Rye was home now.  For good.

            “I’m here.  How’s that beautiful scowling fiancé of yours?”  Rye asked when they stepped apart.  He felt the sting of tears in his eyes but he chose to ignore them.  Peeta grinned again, this time with a euphoria Rye wasn’t sure he’d ever feel.

            “Perfect.  Can you believe she said yes?”

            “Not at all.  I mean, you’re short, ugly and always covered in flour.  And god knows you can’t shut up.  Not sure what the attraction is.”  Rye teased, earning a roll of the eyes from Peeta.

            “Boy’s why don’t you go in the back and catch up.  I’ll cover the front.” Bram gathered Rye’s things and pushed them into his middle sons arms then steered them both back into the kitchen.  He knew the grin he was wearing would be on his face for the rest of the day.  His boy was home.

            “Hey did my stuff get here?”  Rye didn’t have much.  He’d lived on the farm he worked on in a small, furnished apartment.  His personal affects were small, but just bulky enough not to fit on the bike and require him to hire a company to come get it.  In a very, very small truck.

            “Yeah.  We had the movers unload it upstairs.  Man, not even a bed?”

            “My place was furnished.  You’re moving into Katniss’ soon. I’ll steal yours.  I’ll just steam clean the love juice out.”

            “That’s gross, Rye.”  Peeta squished his nose up in distaste.

            “Yet probably accurate.” Rye smirked.  He snatched a cookie off a cooling rack and took a bite, savoring the explosion of cinnamon and sugar on his tongue.  Snickerdoodles, a family favorite.  “So tell me, I haven’t gotten all the details yet on the exit of Madeline.  When you called and told me to get my ass home, you left out important details.  And dad ain’t talking.”

            Peeta had moved back to the cake he was working on, his hands never faltering in the intricate string work he was piping even as he glanced up at Rye.

            “The night I told them I’d asked Katniss to marry me, she freaked out.  I mean _flipped._   Told me I was no son of hers for marrying that drunks’ slut niece and didn’t I care about our family name?” Peeta waved a hand dismissively, but Rye could tell her words had hurt him.  Another strike against the woman that had given them life.  “Problem was, Katniss was there.  We’d invited them over to dinner and she just ripped into Katniss.  We knew Madeline wouldn’t like it, but…” Peeta shook his head in disbelief.  Rye caught the small flare of pain that passed over his brother’s face.  Always that one that wanted her approval and always the one that never got it.  Rye sighed and motioned for Peeta to continue.  “I thought Katniss was going to get her bow and put an arrow between her eyes.”  That put a smile on his face.  Rye would have loved to have seen that.  “I told her if she didn’t like it, she didn’t have to come to the wedding or see her grandchild.”

            “Shit. You knocked Katniss up?” Rye interrupted.  Peeta nodded, grinning again.  No one had told him that yet.  “No wonder Madeline had a melt down.”

            “Yeah.  That’s when she went to hit me.”

            Rye’s eyes widened.  It was no secret that their mother liked to hit when she was displeased.  But she hadn’t done it since the pair of them had gotten taller than her.  And definitely not after they’d both started wrestling.

            “And here’s the funny thing,” Peeta paused in his piping, his face going distant as if he were thinking of something long passed instead what had just happened last week.  “Katniss was already up, getting ready to wrestle Madeline out the door.  Hell, I was even ready to knock her on her ass.  She never got to me.”

            “What? She trip over her broomstick?” 

            Peeta snorted at that and shook his head.  “No.  Dad grabbed her. Like, snatched her hand out of the air, whipped her around and told her that if she couldn’t be happy for the blessings in her life, she could just get out and let the rest of us be happy instead.”

            Rye didn’t believe it, not for a second.  Not the man that spent more time making excuses for his wife than protecting his sons.  Rye loved his father so much.  But he couldn’t help but see him as weak.

            “I’m serious, Rye.  Something changed that night.  She was out of their house the next day.  Off to Aunt Rooba’s.”

            “Bet Aunt Rooba is so happy about that.”  Rye shook his head and sat on the stool next to Peeta.  “I’m happy for you, man.  Everything you’ve ever wanted is happening.”

            “And now you’re home. So it _is_ everything.”

            “Ugh, don’t get all mushy on me, bro.”  Rye reached over and cuffed a hand on the back of Peeta’s head and laughed.  “I think I’m gonna head upstairs and unpack.”

            “All right.  Oh!  There’s a bonfire tonight at the lake.  Wanna go?”

            “Aren’t we a little too old for those, Peet?”  Rye said, amusement dancing in his dark eyes.  Peeta snickered and shook his head.

            “”Please.  If you’re under thirty you’re allowed.”  Peeta replied, equally amused.  “It’ll be fun.  Katniss’ll be there and a bunch of friends you haven’t seen in forever.” 

            Rye rolled his eyes.  _Why not,_ he thought.  He hadn’t been to a bonfire since he left.  “All right.  What time you want me ready?”

            “After the bakery closes.  I have to pick up Katniss and Prim.”

            “Prim?  Isn’t she a little young?”  Rye had an image of a little blond girl with twin braids, skinned knees and wide clear blue eyes.  He remembered her coming to the bakery window and staring at the cakes they had on display.  She had been sweet, he remembered, a certain classic beauty already evident on her young face.

            “Rye, she’s twenty two.”       

            And at that Rye felt ancient for his twenty-seven years.  “Well shit.” Had it really been that long since he’d last seen her?  He tried to think of the few holidays he’d been home or since Peeta and Katniss had been together.  He didn’t have a clear image of the young woman she should have blossomed into.  And he thought he remembered someone mentioning that she’d gone off to school out in the Capital.  So maybe that would account for his complete lack of recent memory of her.

            Peeta laughed and waved him off.  “Go on. I’ll come up and get you after closing.”

            “Yep.”  With a wave over his shoulder, Rye disappeared to the apartment upstairs.

~*~*~

            “So,” Prim sat down on Katniss’ couch, her feet tucked up under her.  Katniss sat next to her, looking tired but content. Something that Prim was sure she would never see.  Katniss had taken so much on her shoulders when their parents had died.   Prim had been eight and Katniss twelve when the police had shown up at their Aunt Juni’s door.

            A drunk driver had taken their parents. 

            They were orphans now, their only living relatives being their spinster aunt and confirmed bachelor uncle.  Uncle Haymitch, their father’s stepbrother, moved into Juni’s to help with the girls.  Aunt Juni was their mother’s sister and the only member of her family that had kept talking to her after Ginger, their mother, had married Sebastian, their father. 

            Prim barely remembered her parents, save for pictures and stories that her aunt and uncle would tell.  Particularly Haymitch, when he was knee deep in a bottle of white liquor, would tell particularly colorful tales that could make your ears burn.  Juni would shake her head, call him an old drunk and let him be for the most part.  She knew a lot of people in town thought they were together, and frankly, Prim wasn’t sure herself.  Especially now that the girls were grown and only Prim lived at home with them.  Haymitch could have moved out at any time, but neither seemed in a hurry for him to do so.

            Katniss had been terribly affected by their parent’s death, which Prim supposed was only natural as she was oldest.  Overnight she went from outgoing and fierce to shy and reserved.  She’d become overprotective of Prim from that day forward, a habit that the younger Everdeen still struggled with.

            “ _So_ what?”  Katniss asked, taking a sip of her ginger ale.  She was just under two months pregnant and nausea was thankfully a rare thing thus far.  She had a small hand resting over her belly and a look of contentment on her face.  Prim was so happy that Katniss had finally stopped ignoring the Baker’s son and let her self live.

            “Do you think Rye is going to be there tonight?”  Prim tried to sound casual but figured she’d failed miserably.  After all, who better to ask then her sister, who was engaged to the brother of her crush?  Prim nearly laughed at how incestuous it all sounded.  Katniss didn’t look like she wanted to laugh.

            “You can’t still be crushing on him, Prim.”

            “Why not?  You’re marrying his brother. You know how hot they both are.”

            “Prim,” Katniss sounded exasperated and the roll of her grey eyes confirmed it.  “I don’t think I’m comfortable with that.”  Now Prim rolled her eyes.  It got a little tiring having Katniss _always_ sheltering her. 

            “Why?”  Prim knew she sounded snitty.  But she didn’t care.  Katniss' dark brows pulled together at the sound and she shook her head, dislodging her chocolate braid from her shoulder.

            “He’s older than you, Prim.”

            “I’m aware.”  Prim said it slowly, widening her eyes a little.  Katniss scowled at her.

            “Really, Prim. Don’t be smart.”  Again with the talking to her like a kid.  Prim sighed in frustration.  She loved her sister, truly she did.  But Katniss could be the most over protective and _frustrating_ person on the planet.  She remembered the way she acted when Prim had asked Aunt Juni if she could wear makeup.  Katniss had had a fit and told her ‘no’ before Aunt Juni had even been able to think of a response.  Which, after she had, had been ‘yes’. 

            Prim had been fourteen at the time.

            That was battle one.  Battle two was her hair.  When she’d decided she was too old to be wearing twin braids she switched to wearing it loose.  Then it got to be annoying on her neck and she’d asked Aunt Juni if she could cut it.  This time Katniss kept her mouth shut, but she glared at Prim like she’d asked if she could dance naked in the town square.  Aunt Juni had again said yes.  And once again when Prim asked for trendier clothes.  Katniss watched these changes with a sharp eye and a pursed mouth.  Prim was supposed to stay a little girl in her eyes, except her little sister refused to stay little.

            The final battle had been boys and that had been the worst.  It had been a simple homecoming dance.  Prim’s sophomore year she had been asked by one of the junior varsity football players.  Oh, she’d been so excited, rushing home to gush with Juni.  Now, Juni was about as girly as Katniss, with her preference for sturdy pants and t-shirts, ponytails and no make up.  But she understood Prim anyway.  And she also understood Katniss, which made it easy for her to usually anticipate and diffuse arguments between the sisters.

            This one almost turned into a war.  Prim had been talking on her cell phone about dresses and shoes with her friend Rue when Katniss got home from her part time job at the pharmacy their family owned.  Prim had giggled something about the possibility of getting kissed and Katniss blew through the roof.

            She’d forbidden Prim to go, told her she was too young to date and definitely too young to kiss.  Juniper and Haymitch had had to step in and actually, physically tear the girls apart.  Mainly because Prim had shrieked like a banshee and jumped on Katniss’ back.  Lots of nasty things were said and there were plenty of hurt feelings that day.  In the end, Prim went to the dance, did receive her first kiss and first boyfriend and the girls laugh about it now.

            They’d only had one other major disagreement since then.  That was when Prim decided to go for her pharmaceutical degree instead of going into pre-med like Katniss had hoped she would.  Prim wanted to stay in Twelve Oaks and take over the business that had been in their family for two generations.  Katniss had no desire to do so.  She worked at the wildlife preserve.  Aunt Juniper had been teary eyed when her youngest niece told her what she planned to do.  Katniss relented without too much of a fit and life had gone on relatively smoothly since then.

            Until this second, when that old Katniss was trying to rear her ugly head.

            “News flash, sister dear.  You don’t have any say in who I like or date.” Prim reminded her with a playful smirk.  Katniss pursed her lips, her grey eyes narrowing as she absently rubbed her still non-existent baby bump.  “I’m not a little girl anymore.  I’ve even had,” gasp, “ _sex.”_

            Katniss wrinkled her nose in distaste.  “Oh yeah. With who?”

            “Well, Rory Hawthorne was my first.  I have to think about the others.”  Prim giggled at the imitation of a guppy Katniss was currently doing.

            “You slut!”  Katniss squeaked, her face taking on a look of disbelief that had Prim struggling not to laugh right in her face.  “Wait, Rory’s gay.” 

            “Rory was still struggling with coming out,” Prim started to explain.  Mainly because of his oh-so-manly I-kill-things-with-a-gun-on-the-weekends older brother (and Katniss’ ex-boyfriend) Gale.  It was the summer after they graduated and Prim was determined not to go off to college a virgin.  She trusted Rory, her best friend since kindergarten and he was desperately trying to pretend that he didn’t like boys more than girls.  So, after about a half a Mason jar of Uncle Haymitch’s best moonshine, they closed their eyes and like the Nike commercial, just did it.         When it was over, Prim was no longer a virgin and Rory was sure that sex with girls wasn’t his thing.

            Katniss couldn’t help but snort when Prim was done with her story.  She patted Prim’s leg and shook her head.

            “What?”  Prim asked, smiling despite not knowing what Katniss found so funny.

            “What is it with you and me and guys from the same family?”

            Prim laughed at Katniss’ unintentional echo of her thoughts.

            “We both have good taste.”  Prim decided.  “When’s Peeta coming?”

            “After the bakery closes,sotry to behave yourself around Rye.  It’s his first night back in town.”  Katniss teased.  Prim smiled.

            “I’m not making any promises.”

~*~*~

            Rye stood with a group of his friends, a beer gripped loosely in his fingers.  He tried to listen to the story Thom was telling about a cow and a tractor, but his attention kept drifting to the other side of the bonfire.  More specifically, the leggy blond temptress by the name of Primrose Everdeen.

            She was standing across the way, talking to her friends Rue and Rory.  When she threw her head back and laughed, the sound was like a punch to his gut, even over the din of the other people around them. 

            When they’d pulled up to Katniss’ apartment, Rye couldn’t help the double take he’d done when the girls walked down to the car.  It was like Prim was moving in slow motion and some country song was playing in the background as she moved, her red slicked mouth smiling wide, her blue eyes sparkling as she said hi to him.

            It would forever mortify him that he had _stammered_ when he greeted her back.  Rye Mellark did not stammer.  Ever.  Charm was almost a god given right to the Mellark boys and it was almost impossible to unsettle them.

            Apparently the Everdeen women had the ability to do just that.  After all, the only time Rye had ever seen Peeta flustered was around Katniss.  He didn’t like where that train of thought was going.

            “Hey, Rye.”  John Cato, who everybody just called Cato, knocked him hard in the shoulder.  They graduated in the same year and from the way Cato was chugging his beer and burping, Rye was definitely higher up on the maturity chain then him.  “We ain’t seen you in months and your ass is over there daydreaming.”

            Rye grinned and took a long pull of his beer.  The sight of Prim flipping her silky blond hair off her shoulders made his throat go dry.  “Say something I wanna hear bitch and I’ll pay attention.”  He countered, snickering when Cato flipped him off.  Rye tried to remember why they were supposedly friends. Probably something about them both being jocks, though Cato played football and Rye was a wrestler.  It had probably been some unspoken high school thing that they had to hang out.  And these bonfires pulled out anybody with a pulse.

            “You keep staring at Prim like that and Katniss might use her bow on you.”  Peeta said in a low voice. 

            “She’s an adult.” Rye reminded him.  And god, _what_ an adult.  Tall, legs that went on forever. A tiny red sundress that hugged in all the right places paired with a worn pair of cowboy boots.  The way the fire danced across her features gave her an air of mystery.  Her hair was loose, her makeup light except for the red gloss she smeared on every so often.  Not that he was watching or anything.

            But of course he was.

            “Yeah. And Katniss is overprotective.”  Peeta reminded him.  Rye scowled at that and made a point of turning away from where Prim was sitting and paying more attention to his friends. 

            It was a matter of seconds before his gaze sought her out again.  This time, she was looking back at him with one delicate brow arched and a smile that held all kinds of promise.  Pleasant heat curled in his belly and he was about to saunter over to see just how far she was willing to go when he saw Peeta’s smirk from the corner of his eye. 

            “Fuck you,” he growled at his brother.  Peeta’s chuckle followed him as he stalked away in search of another beer.

 

~*~*~

            “You shouldn’t let him get to you like that.”  Prim waited about an hour before she slipped away from the ever-watchful eye of her sister and Rue, who gave her a knowing smirk as she left.  It didn’t take long to find Rye. He was sitting on the dock that jutted out over the lake, tossing pebbles from the little stack he must have gathered before sitting down.

            Rye peered up at her, a smile on his full mouth and shrugged a shoulder.

            “You wanna get out of here?” 

            _Hell yes,_ she thought, settling next to him.  She gave him a coy smile in response however.  She wanted him, yes.  But she wasn’t that easy.  He hadn’t said a word to her all night; he at least owed her dinner for that.

            “I want to do all sorts of things.”  Prim offered in a low voice.  The way his pupils dilated at her words and his breath hitched gave her a thrill.  When he leaned in she pressed a palm to his chest, marveling in the pull of muscle under the soft fabric of his t-shirt.  She shook her head, another smile curving her lips and she moved within a breath of his mouth.  She felt the hot puffs of air from his lips fan over hers.  Her nipples pebbled in response and she clenched her thighs together to ease the ache that was starting to settle there.

            He watched her from the few inches away he was, the desire she saw there doing a lot to bolster her ego and her confidence.  She laughed, the sound soft and husky, her own pent up desire for him making her denial really damn difficult.

            “Pick me up tomorrow after the bakery closes.  Let’s see what happens.”  Prim couldn’t resist leaning forward a little and pressing their lips together.  It was soft and brief and when she pulled away Rye followed, searching for more.  Just that little tease was enough to send her nerves on overload and it was a struggle to use the hand on his chest to stop his seeking lips.

            Rye took a deep breath and rested his forehead against hers.  When he brought his eyes to hers the heat in them made her want to say fuck it, drag him to the nearest bed and save a horse by riding him into oblivion.  However, she’d spent too long wanting him to rush into anything. 

            “Is your sister going to shoot me?”  He asked.  She let out a surprised huff of laughter and closed her eyes.

            “Probably not.  As long as you take me to dinner before trying to get me into bed.”

            “Oh, there is no try, Primrose.”  His confidence was anything but a turn off.  What did that say about her?  The fact that a fresh wave of wetness flooded her panties didn’t shame her at all and Prim knew how she’d probably be spending her time in bed later.  “I _will_ have you in my bed.”  He dipped his head and captured her lips before she could react.  Her moan of pleasure was lost when his tongue slid past her parted lips to tangle silkily with hers.  That hand she had pressed against his chest fisted in his t-shirt, keeping him close.

            “PRIMROSE!”  _No, no, no, no, Fuck._ Prim eased away from Rye, the hand on his shirt keeping him from bolting back the way her sisters voice made him want to.  She opened her eyes slowly, rubbing her lips together to savor his lingering taste on them.

            “God you’re beautiful.”  Rye gasped, bringing a hand up to gently cup her cheek.

            “So are you,” she breathed back.

            “PRIM!”

            “What Katniss?”  Prim looked over to where her sister was standing looking highly annoyed at finding her sister making out with her soon to be brother-in-law. 

            “We’re leaving.  Rye, you too.”  Katniss sounded like she wanted to do nothing more than leave Rye there to walk.  Rye grinned at her as he stood, holding out his hand for Prim.  She took it, enjoying the pleasure that skimmed up her arm at his touch.  He squeezed her hand quickly then let her go, jerking a head toward Katniss in explanation. 

            “I’ll see you tomorrow at seven.”  He promised.  “I’m going to get a ride home with Thresh.”  He told Katniss.

            “Great.”  Katniss glared at him as he walked passed, sputtering when he pressed a kiss to her cheek and winked.  She then turned and glared at her snickering younger sister.

            “God, you are such a cockblock, Katniss.”  Prim crossed her arms over her chest and stopped in front of her sister.  Katniss narrowed her eyes.

            “You don’t have to maul him in public.  Have a little dignity.” 

            “I have plenty of dignity.  Lighten up, Kat.”  Prim shot Katniss a glare that was more than a little steeped in hurt.  Katniss tried to reach for her when she walked around her but Prim just yanked away.  “No.” she shook her head, warding off another attempt by Katniss to touch her.  “Lets just go home.”

            Prim stomped up the slight incline towards the bonfire. 

            “Hey, Prim.”  Peeta was walking down the hill toward them.  “Everything ok?”

            “Why don’t you ask Katniss?”  Prim said, making her way to the car.

            “Katniss?”  Peeta walked over to his fiancé, concern on his face.  Katniss just shook her head.  The support she felt in the arm he slipped around her waist didn’t do much to ease the ache of hurting her baby sister, but it helped.

            “I’m tired.  Let’s go.” 

            Peeta kissed her temple and tucked her into his arm.  “All right.”  They walked up the hill together in silence.

~*~*~

            The next morning, Rye was elbow deep in flour and yeast, the smells he’d always associated with home making him happier than he’d been in a long time.  When he’d been away, he’d enjoyed working on the farm.  It kept him in shape, kept him busy and kept him out of trouble.  That had always been Rye’s problem. 

            Trouble seemed to find him even when he wasn’t looking.

            Fights, suspensions, fast girls and drinking.  He’d been so angry as a teen.  At his mother, at his father, at the hand he and his brothers had been dealt.  He’d never gone overboard with any of it, just enough to keep his mother in fits and his dad in a state of constant disappointment.  Rye had a reputation as the bad seed.  Graham was the perfect son, Peeta the one that tried so hard to gain approval. 

            Rye just didn’t care about what his mother thought and he didn’t mind provoking her if it kept her away from Peeta.  Graham didn’t have that same sense of protection for his brothers, since he was the one that got all of Madeline’s praise and very little of her anger.  When she did manage to get angry with him, somehow it had to be Rye or Peeta’s fault and they paid the price.  Rye never understood his father’s choice to keep her around until now.

            Maybe it was all that, all those old feelings of being the troublemaker, the one to steer clear of, that was making what Peeta was saying drain the happiness right out of him.

            “Katniss is pretty upset that you’re flirting with Prim.”

            “Why’s that?”  Rye asked carefully.  He felt the sting of irritation that his brother was apparently taking Katniss’ side, but he figured his brother probably didn’t have much choice. Not if he wanted to keep the peace.  He glanced up at Peeta and watched the younger man shrug. 

            “I guess she thinks Prim is too young.  She always thinks Prim is too young.”  The annoyed amusement in the younger man’s tone had Rye’s lips quirk in a smile without him meaning too.  Peeta opened the proof box and rolled out the rack of perfectly risen bread.  He slid it over to the oven and opened the door.  He waited until the spinner on the roof of the oven stopped and pushed the rack onto the groove.  He closed the oven and set the timer before heading back to the table to help Rye with the wheat bread he was working on.

            “I can assure her that Prim isn’t too young.”  Rye said with a wink.  The look that flitted across Peeta’s face told him that wasn’t such a good idea.

            “I wouldn’t if I were you.  Prim will handle Katniss.  She’s the only one that can when it comes to this shit.  When their parents died, Katniss took the loss really hard and she just overprotects Prim to the point of pushing her away.  I mean, she’s known about the crush Prim had on you since she was a kid.”

            “What?”  Rye’s nimble fingers stopped moving in the dough and his blue eyes collided with Peeta’s.  Now Peeta smirked.

            “You didn’t know?”

            “How the hell would I know?” 

            “Every time Prim stopped to look at the cakes in the window, she would stare at you like you were the one on display.”  Peeta told him with a gleam in his eye.

            “No shit.”  Rye stopped his movements and stared at nothing as his mind shot back, back to high school.  Days when he would work the counter and he’d see the Everdeen girls standing at the window looking in.  The way the youngest would look greedily through the glass, her blue eyes intent.  Katniss always seemed to be looking anywhere but, but Prim was so focused when she looked inside.  As he thought back, he vaguely remembered meeting her gaze when he was working the counter and the way her eyes would widen and she’d turn quickly away.

            Prim had been, what, twelve at the time?  Maybe thirteen.  He knew that Peeta had harbored a crush on Katniss since grade school.  Had Prim done the same with Rye?  And why did that make him so uncomfortable?

            “Don’t forget, Dad used to date Mrs. Everdeen before she met Mr. Everdeen.”  Peeta said, almost as if he’d read Rye’s mind.  The similarities were starting to make the spot between Rye’s shoulders itch.  He went back to his dough, his strong hands shoving through it roughly.  “Hey, hey.  You over knead it the bread will be hard as a rock.” 

            “I _know_ how to bake, Peeta.”  Rye growled.  An irrational sort of anger sifted though him and he truly couldn’t pinpoint the source.  For some reason he was feeling manipulated, as if there were some unknown string tying the Everdeen women and the Mellark men together.

            “I know you know how to bake.  Take your temper tantrum out on something else.”

            “I’m not having a temper tantrum.”

            “Yeah.”  Peeta gave him a look that told Rye he clearly didn’t believe him.  “What’s gotten into you?”

            “Nothing.”

            “You going to run scared again?  If I’d known that I wouldn’t have said anything.” 

            “What do you mean run scared again?”  Rye stopped kneading again, anger making the vein in his jaw tick and his brow arch as he looked at his younger brother.  Peeta dropped the spatula he’d been using to base ice the cakes and pressed his palms to the worktable.

            “Every time something gets complicated, you take off.  From town, from the bakery, from Clove.”  Rye flinched at the mention of his high school girlfriend, who _everybody_ thought he was going to marry.  Including her. He just hadn’t felt it, hadn’t felt that thing that was supposed to make you want to marry someone.  So, he’d broken it off with her and left town.  He hated that Peeta thought he’d been running away.  “Why would Prim’s crush make you get angry?  I told you to tease you.  If you stand her up, you’ll really have Katniss’ looking for her bow.  And me kicking your ass.”

            “Anytime you wanna try little brother.” Rye said through clenched teeth.  Always evenly matched, it was always a toss up who would win.  During the last wrestling tournament, when Rye had beaten Peeta by the skin of his teeth, it had been simply because Peeta had gotten briefly distracted.  Enough for Rye to get the win and the trophy. Otherwise the match could have gone on forever.

            “Rye, seriously.” Peeta went from looking angry to exasperated in a blink.  The change made Rye deflate as well and he couldn’t really understand why he was so annoyed anyway.

            “I don’t know.  I just feel manipulated somehow.  I mean, dad, you. Now Prim has a thing for me?  It’s just weird, isn't it?”

            “Well, yeah. If you think about it like that.”  Peeta conceded with a chuckle.  “But why not just enjoy it and see where it goes.  That kiss looked pretty intense last night.”  Rye let go of the last of his anger when Peeta wagged his brows at him.

            “Yeah.  It was.  When the hell did she get so hot?”

            “Everdeen genes are excellent.”

            Rye could only nod.

            “It helps that she’s a great person.  Kind, sweet.  You know she volunteers at the soup kitchen on Sundays?  She works for Dr. Aurelius part time so she can earn her pharmaceutical degree and minor in business so she can run the pharmacy when their aunt retires.  Katniss was a little pissed about that.  She wanted Prim to become a doctor.  But Prim just wanted to stay in the family business.  Kind of like us.”

            Ok, so she was hot, dedicated and a saint.  How could Rye compare to that?

            “Did Katniss give birth to Prim?  Because she seems to be pretty overprotective.”  Rye said, trying to deflect his sudden feelings of inadequacy.  His emotions were certainly running the gamut today, it seemed.

            “Really, Rye.”  He saw the flash of anger in Peeta’s eyes and he sighed.

            “Sorry.  Guess I’m just…I dunno.”  Rye threw the now ruined loaf of bread away and cut out another hunk from the mass in front of him.  This time his expert hands worked simply and quickly until he dropped it into the pan, ready to proof.  He moved onto the next.

            “She’s a great girl, Rye.  Give her a chance.  Hell, give _you_ a chance.  I’ll keep Katniss busy.”  Rye laughed at the wink Peeta sent him.  He had no doubts how Peeta intended to keep his pregnant fiancé busy.

            Rye remembered the kiss from the night before.  The way her mouth felt moving under his, how the scent of lemons and honey clinging to her filled his senses.  Her big blue eyes, several shades lighter than his own, had captured his attention from the second they met his the night before.  He felt a pull towards her, a need that seemed almost inexplicable with how quick it had flared up.  He briefly thought of that weird link between their families, but this time he shook it off.  Fate, kismet, whatever.  He wanted to know more about the connection he’d felt with her.

            “All right.  I think I will.”  He said mostly to himself, but Peeta grinned when he heard it.

            “That’s great.  Oh, and just so you know, I’m spending the night at Katniss’ tonight.”

            “Is that so?”

            “Yeah.  You know, in case you wanted to show off your skills…for cooking.”

            Rye snorted at that and wondered what Katniss would think about her man clearing out of the apartment so he could give Rye and her sister time alone.

~*~*~

            “Hi Haymitch,” Prim was standing in front of the sink in the wide-open kitchen.  Uncle Haymitch had stumbled in, looking rumpled and grumpy like usual, his blonde hair hanging in lank strands around his head, his blue eyes bleary.  His clothes, an ancient pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt looked like he’d slept in them.  He probably had.

Prim snickered when he grunted at her in response, his head disappearing into the fridge.  Her uncle Haymitch had been a functioning alcoholic before her parents died.  Now, he still drank, and sometimes to excess, but he’d found a way to curb it when he’d moved in to raise the girls.

            “What are you so dressed up for?”  Haymitch growled when he stood up with the orange juice container clutched in his weathered hand.  Prim drained the glass of water she’d been drinking then put it in the sink before she answered.

            “I’ve got a date.”  She said, the butterflies that had been swirling in her stomach all day exploding.  She grinned, her body swaying a little as her over active brain went into overdrive.  All she’d been able to think about all day had been the feel of Rye’s mouth on hers, the heat that had pooled pleasantly in her belly and the soft ache that had settled between her thighs.  Prim had imagined kissing him for years, but _damn_ the reality had been far beyond the fantasy.

            “S’not that Marble kid again, is it?  He was an idiot.”  Haymitch scowled, looking like he’d tasted something bad.

            “Marvel, Uncle Haymitch.  And no, not him.”  She practically danced her happiness was so overwhelming.  “Rye Mellark.”

            Haymitch’s brows touched on his forehead he frowned so hard.  He looked like he was trying to puzzle something together.  “That’s the boy’s brother, isn’t it?”

            Haymitch rarely used names.  Katniss was ‘sweetheart’, which totally annoyed her.  Peeta was ‘the boy’, and Prim was ‘sunshine’.  The only one he didn’t nickname was Juniper.  And that’s because as a pharmacist, she could poison him and get away with it.

            “Yeah.  He’s come back to work in the bakery.”

            “Right, Bram kicked out that bi-er-witch he was married too.”  Haymitch took a swig of juice right out of the bottle and chuckled.  Prim grimaced and made a note to tell Juni not to drink the juice before asking Haymitch,

            “What?”

            He shook his head, sending the disarray of hair around his face flying.  “Damn Mellark boys got it bad for you Everdeen women.”  He chuckled again.  “Bram and your ma used to date before she married your pop.”

            “Nuh uh.  Really?”  Prim gave a disbelieving laugh, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the sink.  She had never heard this story before.

            “Yah.  Poor sap, he had it bad for Ginger.”  Haymitch snorted and took another swig from the orange juice, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before continuing.  “But, your pop, man that boy could sing.  He was a few years ahead of us in school.  Same class as Juni I think.  Anyway, he had himself this garage band.  My mama was fit to be tied with that.  But you know, Sebastian had a way about him and he smoothed it over especially when they got that gig at our Prom.  When he sang, all the girls in the damn place were wanting to throw their panties on stage.”

            Haymitch waggled his brows, making Prim laugh even though thinking of her mother doing that was more than a little disconcerting. 

            “Even your date?” 

            “Pfht.  I took Effie Trinket.  Not sure why. I think she kinda told me I was going to, and well. That woman was a force to be reckoned with even back then.  She’s what you call one of them type A personalities.  But yeah. Even she got her panties all twisted for Bass.  I was almost pissed at him for that.  Then she gave me head in the limo on the way home and I got over it.”

            “Uncle Haymitch!” Prim felt the blush crawl straight up to her hairline.  She couldn’t imagine the owner of the chicest boutique in town doing that.  Or she could, which was really the problem.

            “Quit traumatizing the girl, Mitch.”  Juni walked in, grabbed the orange juice container from Haymitch and took a glass out of the cabinet.  She then poured the remainder into a glass and handed it back to him.  He scowled at it, but drank anyway.

            “Sunshine here is going out with that other Mellark boy tonight.”  Haymitch told her.

            “I know.”  Juni started moving around the kitchen, taking out cold cuts, cheese, bread (bought from Mellarks’ of course) and other various things for her and Haymitch to eat.

            “Ya know that one that caused all that trouble when he was a kid.”  Haymitch continued.  Prim merely arched a brow and waited.

            “Yes. I know.”  Juni didn’t look up as she put together two sandwiches, her hands sure in their movements.  Haymitch watched her for a minute, his jaw tensing as if he were working something out in his head.  Juniper’s lips quirked up into a smile.  She caught Prim’s eye and winked making the younger woman smile.  “Eat your sandwich, Haymitch.”

            “Fine.”  He took the plate, gave Prim an almost confused look which had Prim giggling, then went to sit at the table in the breakfast nook.

            “Have fun tonight, Prim.  I know you’ve been dreaming of this for years.” 

            It felt like she’d wanted this for decades.  Her head had been building every possible scenario from good to bad to orgasmic (her favorite) and she was sure that it would wind up being nothing like she’d imagined at all.  He was so handsome, so sexy.  She almost sighed just thinking about it.

            “I will.  Don’t wait up.”

            “Oh, we won’t.”  Juni waved when the knock sounded on the door.  Nerves exploded under Prim’s skin and she suddenly felt the urge to call everything off and go back to her preteen longing from afar.  Then a second, more insistent knock sounded and she told herself to stop being stupid. 

            “Goodnight.” Prim called.  She checked her reflection in the hall mirror, smoothing down some stray wisps of hair that had escaped the twist she’d fashioned her hair into.  She kept her makeup simple and her dress was casual but still flirty.  Once she was satisfied, she grabbed her bag and a light sweater then answered the door.

            “Hi,” she said, wondering if that breathy sound was coming from her.  Rye’s grin was wide as his eyes raked over her.

            “God, you’re gorgeous.”  He told her.   She felt a blush of pleasure bloom over her skin.

            “You’re not so bad yourself.”  She told him, taking in the way his jeans formed over his legs and how the simple blue button down brought out the deep blue of his eyes.

            “Hope you don’t mind riding.”  They walked down the front walk together and Prim realized that he had the bike.  Of course he had the bike.  She looked down at her dress and thought that it would hold up and nodded. 

            “That’s fine. I don’t have a helmet.” 

            “Got it covered.”  Rye went to the back of the bike and unlocked one of the saddlebags.  He took out a spare helmet and handed it to her.  She put it on her head and snapped the latch into place.  She gave him an expectant look.  He snorted and stepped close enough for her to feel the heat radiating off of him.  His fingers brushed the underside of her chin when he undid the lose strap, causing a shiver to skate down her spine.  He must have felt it, because his eyes came up to hers, the heat in them making her breath hitch.

            “Here, let me fix this.”  Was it her imagination, or had his voice gotten husky.  She couldn’t speak, the tension building slowly around them, so she just nodded.  Rye gently undid the latch, carefully removing the helmet so it didn’t mess up her hair.  He turned it around then re-latched it, adjusting the straps so it sat snug on her head.  When he smoothed his hands over her shoulders she leaned in, warming to his touch.  

            The first touch of his lips was barely a brush across hers.  Her eyes drifted closed when he pressed in again, this time the kiss was a little firmer, more deliberate.  Warmth spread slow and gentle through her.  She was hyper aware of the way his lips felt, his scent taking over her senses.  When the tip of his tongue barely brushed over the seam of her lips, she moaned low and sweet, causing an answering one from Rye.

            “We better go.  I don’t think your neighbors or your aunt would like us to get carried away.”  Rye managed in a voice that was barely a whisper.  The slight desperation she saw in his eyes when she opened hers had her smiling.

            “Probably not.”  Prim agreed, reluctantly stepping away so he could get onto the motorcycle.  To her delight she saw the physical reaction he had to her in a definite bulge in his jeans.  Her mouth almost started to water as her imagination started to run wild.  Rye saw her looking and smirked.

            “You have no idea how happy I am you’re not shy.”  The liquid blue of his eyes was molten, the desire in them making her shiver.

            “One introverted person in the family is enough.”  Prim said with a chuckle.  Then she thought of Uncle Haymitch.  _Well, two,_ she amended to herself.  She waited for Rye to get on the bike before she mounted behind him.  She settled her thighs around his, her chest pressed against his back, her arms wrapped around his solid stomach.

            “God you feel good.”  Rye gasped, one of his large baker’s hands cupping hers.

            “So do you.”  Prim whispered in his ear.  She felt rather than heard his groan.  “Where are we going?”

            “My place.” He said simply.  He waited, almost as if he expected her to object.  But really, she was powerless to.

            “Sounds great.  Will Peeta be there?”  She asked almost as an afterthought.  That would certainly put a crimp on her night.

            “No.”  Again, Rye paused.  He turned his head to look at her.  She used the leverage of the foot pegs to push up and brush her mouth across his cheek.

            “Let’s go.”  Once she settled back, Rye kick started the bike.  The thrum of the machine between her legs and the feel of the man she was pressed against had a surge of wetness flooding her panties.  Prim wasn't sure what was on the menu, but she knew what she wanted for dessert.

            “Hold on.”  Rye shot her a grin over his shoulder, and then tore off into the night.

~*~*~

            “Let me take your coat.”  Rye slid off his jacket and took her sweater after they walked into the apartment over the bakery.  The smell of baking bread and something deliciously spicy permeated the air, making Prim’s stomach growl.  She walked through the combination living and dining room to the kitchen. 

            “What smells so good?”  She practically moaned, bee lining straight for the pot on the stove. 

            “Bolognese.” Rye answered, following her into the kitchen to start the burner on low.

            _Oh sweet Jesus yes_.  Her favorite.  She saw a bowl with a towel over it and figured that was their bread for dinner.  Rye proved her right by whipping the towel off.  She watched in fascination as his large hands sprinkled flour on the small island in the center of the kitchen.

            “Want some wine?” 

            “Yes.”  Prim put the lid back on the sauce and sat down to watch the dance as Rye moved effortlessly around the kitchen.  He left the dough on the counter and reached behind him to get two wide mouth mason jars out of a cabinet, then grabbed the wine he’d left open on the counter to pour into the jars.  He set the rich red wine in front of her and took a sip of his before turning back to the stove to turn a second burner on under a large pasta pot.  It was then that Prim noticed another towel covered pan.

            “What’s that?”  She asked when he turned back to deal with the bread.

            “Hm? Oh,” Rye said when he realized she was indicating the pan next to the stove.  “Pappardelle noodles.”

            “Fresh?”  She couldn’t hide the surprise in her voice.  Rye’s eyebrow arched in amusement.

            “Yes.  I made them. And the sauce.” 

            “Wow.  I’m impressed.”  And she was.  Not to mention extremely touched that he would go through so much trouble for her.  “Thank you.” 

            “Peeta told me it was your favorite.”  He admitted with a shrug.  The touch of pink that colored his ears made her heart twitter in her chest.  She didn’t know what to say so she just smiled when he looked up at her.  “He also told me,”

            He paused as if he wasn’t sure how to continue.  Prim had a sinking feeling she knew what Peeta had felt the need to tell him.  She was going to kill him.

            “That you had a crush on me when you were younger.” 

            Yep.  Peeta was a dead man.

            “Does that bother you?”  Prim asked.  She cocked her head and looked at him, her finger idly sliding around the rim of her glass.  She wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.  Rye jerked a shoulder in a shrug and finished shaping the dough on the pans for a second rise.

            “No.  Well, at first I guess it did a little.  But not because of you.  Don’t you think it’s strange that our father dated your mother, and now Peeta is engaged to your sister.  And now here we are.”

            “I didn’t find out about our parents until today.  I think its kind of nice.  Like there’s this link between the families that can’t be broken.  A good link.”  She smiled, sipping at her wine as the romanticist in her took over.  Rye smiled and nodded, not looking as entirely pleased as she felt.  “You don’t think so?”

            “I’m not sure what I think.  But I know I feel something for you.  When I saw you last night…” he shook his head, his soft blond waves falling across his forehead.  Prim itched to brush it away, but she had a feeling he needed to say whatever was in his head.  “It was like I’d never seen you before.”  Rye finished cleaning up the flour on the island and rested his palms against it.  She felt pinned by his gaze when he looked back up at her, the intensity in his stare almost too much.  “You surprised me, Prim. I didn’t come home expecting to discover you.  I didn’t come home thinking I’d want to discover _anyone_.  But seeing you come down that walk was like a bolt of lightening.  I’ve never felt such an instant attraction for someone in my life.  I’m both afraid and excited to see where it goes.  And I do want to see where it goes.  I might not have noticed you then, but I sure as hell notice you now.”

            They both knew what he didn’t say, that it would have been wholly inappropriate for him _to_ have noticed her back then.  But it didn’t take away from the power of what he said.  Prim took a deep breath, her gaze not wavering from his for several seconds.  Her voice was lost to her, her emotions rising up to clog her throat.  Rye steadily watched her, waiting for her to come to whatever conclusion she needed too.

            “Rye, turn off the burners.”   Prim said in a voice that was more than a little unsteady.  Disappointment was keen on his face and she realized he didn’t understand her meaning.  After he’d turned off the burners, Rye turned back with a sigh.

            “I’ll take you home.”

            “No.”  Prim slid off the stool and walked around the island to stand in front of him.  Like all the Mellark’s, Rye wasn’t overly tall so they stood almost eye to eye.  Prim reached up with trembling hands, her fingers lacing gently with the silky hair at the back of his neck.  Rye’s eyes drifted closed at her touch before opening again, the blue almost as dark as midnight.  “Take me to bed.”

            He didn’t need her to say anything else. 

            Rye’s strong arms banded around her waist, lifting her up against him.  Her legs easily wound around his waist as her teeth nibbled the vein in his neck. 

            “Jesus.”  Rye burst through his bedroom door, grateful that Peeta’d had the sense to put a bed in there in anticipation of his return.  He set her on her feet, his hands immediately diving into her hair, disrupting the elaborate twist she’d had it in.  How she’d managed to keep all that silk in place with just a clip would have impressed him on a different day if her mouth wasn’t begging to be kissed.  Their lips met on a groan, the kiss hard and demanding.  Tongues slid together sensuously, teeth nipping gently at lips.  Rye pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged, the slight pain sending a thrill through her.

            Prim pressed herself as close to him as possible, her hands running over his chest, shoulders and back.  When they found their way to the buttons of his shirt, she started to hastily undo them.  Once it hung open she rested her palms against the heat of his skin, the burn in her belly intensifying with each touch.  She felt the blunt tips of his fingers find the zipper of her dress and pull it down.  His touch on her back, the calloused pads of his fingers leftgooseflesh in their wake.  They skated up her spine to her shoulders, to the tiny straps keeping herdress up.  She felt the straps start to slide down getting caught on her elbows.

            He tore his mouth away from hers and started pressing hot, wet kisses down her throat and over her collarbone.  Her head dipped back to allow him more access.  He dragged his tongue along her skin, tasting the sweetness, her scent of lemons and honey making him dizzy.  Her little breathy moans and gasps urged him on as he tugged the bodice of her dress down enough to expose her perfect, milky breasts.

            Now it was Rye’s turn to groan when her pink nipples pebbled from the cool air.  He dropped to his knees in front of her, pulling one of those pert little nubs into this mouth.

            “Oh, God Rye.”  Prim cried, her hands diving into his hair to hold him close.  He palmed the other soft mound, tugging the nipple even harder. 

            “You are so beautiful.”  He gasped against her skin.  He opened his mouth wide and took as much of her breast into his mouth as he could, his tongue swirling against her flesh.  His mouth left her breast with a soft pop before kissing his way across to the other where he gave that breast the same attention.

            “Please, I can’t…” Prim didn’t know what she was going to say, she just knew her knees were about to give out.  Rye stood quickly, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her the few steps to the bed.  He set her gently down and tugged her dress the rest of the way, leaving her in a pair of pale pink lace boy shorts.  His fingers trailed over the soft swell of her belly to the edge of her shorts, his desire blackened gaze seeking permission.  She nodded, lifting her hips to help him ease them off.  He paused, standing over her to take in the peaches and milk of her skin, the soft golden down at the apex of her thighs, already glistening with her arousal.  She was left wearing her strappy sandals, and quite frankly, he didn’t want to waist time trying to figure out how to take them off.

            “I don’t think we’re even,” Prim said, leaning up on her elbows.  She didn’t try to hide from him in some self-conscious fit or to be coy and that turned Rye on even more.  He quickly shed his shirt, kicked off his shoes and socks then undid the button on his pants.  Prim pushed all the way up and reached out to help, her eagerness making his cock jump when it was free.

            There was no hesitation when her slender hand slid around his hard length, her thumb swiping over the head to gather the pre-cum seeping there.  Rye groaned low and thrust shallowly into her hand.  Prim seemed fascinated by his cock, her eyes taking in the length and girth, testing what he liked by the sounds he made.  She leaned forward and licked the tip, making him shudder, his moan this time long and loud.

            “Fuck yes.”  He breathed, his fingers resting on her shoulders when she opened her mouth and took him into the heat of her mouth.  Prim hollowed her cheeks and sucked deep, experimenting with the speed and suction of her mouth.  She slid her hand over the part of his cock she couldn’t take, using it in tandem with her thrusts.  “God, Prim.  You look so hot right now.  I’m going to come if you keep that up.”  Rye told her, his eyes heavy lidded and his bottom lip caught in his teeth.

            “I want you too.”  She whispered, letting him out of her mouth just long enough to say that before she went back to sucking him in earnest.  Rye didn’t protest again.  He thrust into her mouth, but mostly let her set the rhythm.  He couldn’t get enough of watching his erection disappear between her lips, the way it glistened with each push.  He imagined it would look something like that when he fucked her and that image had his balls tightening and the heat that had been coiling in his belly to unfurl and send him over the edge.

            “Fuck, God. Prim.”  He cried as he came.  He watched her swallow, her tongue lapping eagerly to take it all in.  “I’m sorry.”  He gasped, dropping to his knees in front of her and resting his head against her chest.

            “For what?”  She asked, her voice low and husky with her desire.

            “Not warning you first.”  He offered her a sheepish smile when he raised his head.  Her pupils were dilated with her arousal and Rye felt that heat start to build in his gut again.

            “I don’t care.”  She gasped, leaning down to catch his mouth with hers.  He kissed her back without hesitation, tasting the salty tang of his come on her tongue.  He pushed her back, skimming his body down hers to settle between her thighs.

            “Least I can do is return the favor. Hold on, Primrose. I’m going to fuck you with my mouth.”

            “Oh shit.”  She moaned, her eyes rolling back and her head hitting the bed behind her.  Rye knelt on the floor in front of her, pulling her closer and propping her legs on his sturdy shoulders.  He pressed a hand to her hip, holding her in place.  Then, after a long, appreciative look at her quivering pussy, Rye gave her slit one long lick.  Prim let out a sound that was caught between a sob and a moan and it was music to his ears.  He gathered the sweet juice of her arousal on his tongue, swirling the tip around her clit before sucking gently between his lips. He felt her hips straining to thrust against him, saw her head thrashing and her hands plucking at her nipples as the most amazing noises filtered from her throat.

            She nearly came off the bed when he slipped one thick finger into her. 

            “”Oh, oh. Rye.  Rye, please, oh god, Rye!”  When he slid the second finger inside and sucked hard on her clit she came apart under him, her walls clenching tight around his thrusting digits.  He licked and sucked, extending her orgasm until she was reaching down to push him away.  Rye stood then and opened his nightstand, grabbing the strip of condoms inside.  He was always prepared.

            He ripped it open and slid the condom over his hardened cock.  Her taste, scent and sounds had hardened him up quicker than he could remember since he was a teenager.  When the rubber was secure around him he crawled on the bed, sliding his tongue up her body and teasing her nipples as he positioned himself at her entrance.  When he felt her shift below him, opening her thighs wider and her hands gripping his shoulders he looked up at her, his gaze never leaving hers as he slid his length into her still clenching heat.

            “You’re so tight,” Rye’s eyes nearly crossed at how well she hugged him, how her body took him in like it was made to do so.  Just him, only him.  Always him.

            “Ryyy-eee.”  Prim keened, her back arching into him with each inch that filled her.  Her fingers gripped at his shoulders, her short nails biting into his skin, the tiny stabs of pain urging him on.  He leaned up on his forearms, his mouth covering hers and his tongue dancing against hers in time to their thrusts.  He felt her legs wrap around his waist, her slick skin sliding against his and making his nerve endings sing.  She was everything to him in that moment, the only thing that meant anything and he had a feeling she was forever tattooed on his soul.

            Rye felt his orgasm building, the slow burn turning into a rush of heat under his skin and fractioning off to every point in his body.  The pleasure of her, the bliss she was giving him was almost too much. 

            Reaching between them, he slid his fingers to the place their bodies met and found her clit.  She was so sensitized it only took a few hard, tight circles of his thumb against the tiny bundle of nerves to send her shrieking over the edge of oblivion, his name like a prayer on her lips.

            Her walls were clenching tight around him, his impending orgasm making him snap his hips hard against hers.  Several more hard thrusts and he cried her name out as he came deep inside her.  He collapsed against her as her walls settled into fluttering around him and his cock surged one last time inside of her.  Somehow he managed to settle his weight just off to the side so he didn’t crush her.

            It took several minutes before Rye thought he could manage to stand.  After he did, Prim groaned at the loss of his heat and turned onto her side.  Rye grinned and threw a quilt across her then went to the bathroom to clean up.  When he came back in, she had taken off her sandals and was back in the same position as when he’d left.  He pressed a knee onto the bed and she rolled over to make room for him.  Once he was situated next to her and she snuggled herself against his side, he pulled the quilt over both of them.

            They lay there in silence for several minutes, Rye’s thumb tracing random circles on her shoulder, Prim’s hand resting against the steady beat of his heart. 

            “Prim?”  Rye said quietly, his eyes drifting closed.

            “Hm?”

            “How do you feel about Bolognese for breakfast?”

            Prim raised her head and smiled, sliding on top of him and pressing a kiss to his lips.  Rye’s arms banded around her to keep her in place, the desire he’d thought had been sated already sparking back to life.

            “It’s my favorite.”  Then she closed her mouth over his and neither thought about food for a long, long time.

 

END


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